Death of a king
by Lonewerewolf01
Summary: What if the battle at Miraz's castle went differently?
1. Chapter 1

Death of a king chapter 1

**Hi everyone this is my first ever fanfic, probably rubbish but it was an idea that was stuck in my head for ages... had a major fanfiction addiction for a while 0_o hopefully I'm over it now! Enjoy the story and please review!**

Caspian's PoV

I ran down the stairs to the dungeons, where, hopefully, my oldest friend Doctor Cornelius awaited rescue. Racing over to the cell's I pulled open the door. Doctor Cornelius led on the floor with chains around his wrists that led to the wall. Worryingly he did not move when I came in, "doctor, Doctor Cornelius," I gently shook his shoulders and called his name. As I rested him back down I heard something strike the ground. A knife had fallen out of his side. He was dead. I pulled him close and shed a few tears but I could not stay long. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure step out of the shadows, sword drawn. Miraz. There was no hope of me defeating him in this enclosed space. I darted out of the cell hearing him curse and pursue me. I took the stairs 3 at a time, I had a good lead but I stumbled at the top of the stairs and careened into the wall. I scrambled to my feet and sped off down the corridor. Heading down the next corridor i saw my aunt with her child on one arm. She was holding a crossbow. I had no time to stop and she loosed the bolt at me. The impact from it flung me back a few meters and a searing pain blasted through my chest. I blacked out and when I came to I had the sense to keep my eyes shut as I could hear my uncle coming round the corner. His footsteps stopped by my head and I could hear my aunt coming closer. "Well, that clears up matters, and it removes an annoying problem." my aunts cynical tones drifted down to me. I felt her hand brush some hair out of my face. I heard someone, my uncle? Sigh impatiently. "I should check to see if he is dead", my uncle roughly wrenched my head back and checked for a pulse. "He is still alive, but barely", he said smugly. He drew his hand back and i let my head roll to one side. I could feel myself steadily weakening and my breathing became more and more laboured. My aunt and uncle had been talking quietly to each other, waiting for me to take my last breath. When i began to cough and hack up blood their conversation stopped. I could feel blood bubbling up my throat and spilling down my cheek on to the floor. My eyes fluttered open and i saw my uncle crouched next to my head, knife drawn and resting by my throat. My aunt was next to him with their child sat on her lap, curiously observing me. My uncle looked at my aunt and murmured "He hasn't got long now". I could hear the sounds of battle drawing closer while this exchange went on. My uncle looked at me and his eyes narrowed seeing i was awake. He looked at my aunt and taking a deep breath she looked him in the eye and nodded. He raised the knife and grinned evilly at the look on my face. He rested the knife on my chest above my heart and leant down to me. "Caspian", he whispered in my ear, "i killed your father". He quickly raised the knife above my chest and brought it down. Stabbing me in the chest. He seemed to enjoy the sound of my pain and brutally twisted the knife in my chest. With a sadistic grin he listened to my screams of pain. He quickly rose to his feet and ran off. My aunt, never looking at me, stood up and followed him.

**Mwhaaaaaaaaahaaaaaa! I know I'm evil leaving it at a cliff hanger, to any fan girls of Caspian/ Ben Barnes out there, i am evil making him suffer but please don't hunt me down for it... YOU'LL NEVER FIND ME **


	2. Chapter 2

My vision was growing dark and the sounds of battle grew closer. I blacked out a few seconds later.

When i awoke it was as if the battle was just around the corner. Unfortunately where i had fallen i was mostly hidden from view, with only part of my foot visible. Soon old narnians and telmarines came past fighting furiously. I saw Peter and Edmund run past shouting my name. I tried to reply but blood began bubbling up in my throat again, making it impossible for me to speak. I saw several of the Mice running past and one of them stopped. I couldn't make out who it was. I felt a weight on my leg that moved up to my chest. I hurt having even the slight weight of a Mouse on me that i weakly cried out in pain. The weight vanished and a Mouse appeared by my head. It was Reepicheep. "Sire!" the valiant Mouse exclaimed, "what happened?" i tried to reply but i began violently coughing up blood and blacked out.

Reepicheep PoV

The young prince was in serious trouble. He was bleeding heavily from the chest. There were 2 wounds. A bolt from a crossbow had pierced the right hand side of his chest and a knife protruded from the left hand side of the prince's chest. Sensing a presence behind me, I whirled around and stopped when I realised it was the rest of my band of Mice. "Go and get High King Peter. NOW!" he ordered. 2 of the Mice scampered off. The rest helped me to try and stem the bleeding from the prince's wounds. As short time later the 2 Mice returned saying that High King Peter and Queen Susan were on their way with Glenstorm the centaur. I was about to thank them when one of the Mice called his name; "Reepicheep! He is coming round!" Dashing over to Caspian i saw the young princes eyelids slowly open. Just as that happened Peter and Susan arrived.

Susan PoV

Caspian was covered in blood. I could see what appeared to be a bolt from a crossbow embedded in his chest with a knife protruding from just above his heart. I heard Peter gasp next to me. He ran over to where Caspian lay in a pool of his own blood. I desperately wished for Lucy with her cordial to save him. Reepicheep turned to acknowledge our presence but one of the Mice called his name and told him Caspian was coming round. Peter knelt by his head and examined the injuries. "Susan." He called. I hurried over to his side and listened to him explain that the crossbow looked to have shattered and a part had pierced Caspian's neck. This would explain the blood he had apparently been coughing up. As i looked at Caspian's face, drawn and gaunt with pain, his eyes opened.


	3. Chapter 3

Caspian PoV

I could hear 2 people talking but it was as if they were talking from the end of a tunnel. Their voices echoed and twisted, i couldn't make out what they were saying. With a huge amount of effort i focused on their voices, gradually they became clearer and i felt the floor below me and, pain, alot of pain, surging through my body like a violent storm, leaving everything broken in its wake. I struggled to open my eyes, shapes were moving about me, i couldn't hear much, as my eyes focused and shapes became people and Animals i recognised a great wave of sound broke over me. Susan's face swam into view. She was talking to me, trying to get the words to process and form coherent sounds in my head. "Caspian, Caspian, hold on, don't let go." Susan was nearly shouting at me. I won't let go, i promised her in my head. All of a sudden i felt a sharp surge of pain lance through my chest. Slowly turning my head i saw Peter tending to the wound caused by the bolt. With a jolt i realised that half the bolt was still in my chest. Peter was trying to get it out. "Damn", he swore, "Susan it's splintered completely." He turned to Reepicheep and told something to the Mouse. He scampered off and Peter turned to me. "Caspian, i need to remove most of the bolt from your shoulder before we can move you to safety, i won't lie to you, this will hurt alot, but it's this or dying of an infection." I couldn't speak so i nodded my head. A wave of dizziness made me gasp and sink my head back down onto the ground. Susan though held my head and put it on her lap. She wound her fingers through mine and didn't let go. "Caspian." Peter called to me, i turned my head towards him, "I am not able to take out the bolt myself, and Glenstorm will have to do it. I will be right here ok?" i gave him a weak smile that probably came out as a grimace. I turned my head away and looked into Susan's eyes. She smiled at me and i relaxed somewhat. With Susan here i was safe, i could, would get through this. I heard Glenstorm come over and settle down next to me. "Sire, I will begin now", Glenstorms deep voice reassured me. I heard him count down from 3 and a massive pain coursed through my body. I couldn't fight it so i went with the pain. Soon after i blacked out. Again.

The blackness threatened to suck me under the only thing that stopped it was Susan's hand holding mine. It anchored me to reality and kept my heart beating. I could sense people around me. Someone was tying bandages around my chest while other people were getting ready to move me. I felt someone gather me up in their arms and carry me over to what felt like a wagon. People got in beside me and all at once we began to move. The sounds of battle faded and I could hear people muttering around me. The cold night air nipped at my wounds. It made me shiver and it only subsided when someone put a cloak around me. A while later I wearily opened my eyes to see the under canopy of a forest pass by overhead. Following behind the cart was Glenstorm. He smiled seeing I was awake. He looked at a point over my head and a hand began to absentmindedly stroke my hair. It was Susan. She smiled absentmindedly at me. I could hear the sounds of our army milling about. Every so often a face would appear beside Glenstorms and turn around to shout something at the rest of the army. I could feel a pain building in my chest and looking down i could see a knife protruding from my chest. I began to breathe heavily; i couldn't get in enough air! Susan's face looks worried. I feel her fingers on my neck; she looks alarmed and says something to a Satyr behind her. He climbed over and laid a hand on my chest. I cried out in pain and i surprise myself by how weak my voice was. He frowned and turned to Susan, "My Queen! He is losing too much blood!" above me trees gave way to open sky. I could make out a few constellations. I began to cough violently; blood once again began to bubble past my lips. "Caspian!" Susan shouted, "Metlan! Speed up! We're losing him!" the cart sped up and the jolting made me scream out in agony. I could hear people coming towards us. Suddenly the sound of horse's hooves striking stone rang out. We had made it! But would i survive.


	4. Chapter 4

Lucy PoV

I could feel something was wrong. The soldier's returning had that look on their face, worry, fear, loss. They kept looking back towards a cart that abruptly sped up. I heard what sounded like a scream come from the direction of the cart. People's faces kept popping up in my head; Peter, Susan, Edmund, DLF, Reepicheep. Caspian. So many others. "Caspian!" i heard my sister scream. All activity ceased around me. People hurriedly cleared a path for the cart. Susan was over the side in an instant. She went round the back of the cart, to where Glenstorm was lifting someone out of the cart. The boy groaned in pain, his head rolling back, exposing his distinctive facial features. It was Caspian. Susan ran over to me as Glenstorm galloped into the How. Susan grabbed my hand and half dragged me after Glenstorms retreating form. Peter and Edmunds faces flashed past, the dark of the How closed over me and i felt a shiver pass down my spine. Susan led me into the chamber where the Stone Table lay. Glenstorm had led Caspian down on the Stone Table. He began to unwind the make shift bandages around Caspian's chest. Coming closer i could see a horrible sight. Caspian had a knife plunged in his chest. All the way up to the hilt. The blade looked familiar to me. I just couldn't place it. As Glenstorm removed the last layer of the bandage, blood spilled out on to the Table, dyeing it red. I could see pain etched in to the familiar features of Caspian's face. Glenstorm turned to me and said "I need to remove the shrapnel from his chest as well as the knife." Seeing me frown at the word shrapnel he continued, "Caspian was found pinned to the ground with a crossbow bolt in the right side of his chest. I don't know what happened but it has shattered inside him." I nodded my head, shocked. Who would do this to Caspian? Peter and Edmund hurried into the chamber just then, offering to help in any way. Glenstorm instructed them to hold Caspian down while he removed the shrapnel and cleaned the wound. It fell to Peter to remove the knife. Peter visibly paled at this but nodded his head. I held a bowl for Glenstorm to put the pieces of shrapnel in. Caspian struggled during this but did not offer much resistance. After 10 long agonising minutes Glenstorm finished. Reepicheep had come in part way through, a shocked expression on his face. He was ordered by Susan to go and help the others keep order outside and prevent anyone entering the chamber. Meanwhile Peter had used his dagger to remove what was left of Caspian's shirt. He was covered in blood and the wounds themselves were bleeding heavily. Blood was already spilling into a pool at the foot of the Stone Table. Susan pressed her hands to the wound on the right side of the young prince's chest. Trying in vain to staunch the bleeding, Glenstorm carefully held down Caspian's torso while Edmund held down Caspian's legs. Peter carefully took hold of the hilt of the knife and looked at everyone. One of Susan's hands held tight to Caspian's. "1...2...3", Peter counted down and on 3 he pulled on the knife. The effect on Caspian was immediate. He stiffened and his eyes flew open, unseeing. His screams echoed about the chamber. All noise outside ceased. You could almost sense the tension in the How. Finally after a struggle the knife was removed from his chest. Blood spurted out and Caspian went limp. "Lucy!" Susan shouted, "quick!" i quickly poured a few drops into Caspian's mouth. Susan massaged his neck, helping the cordial slip down Caspian's throat. As we watched with baited breath Caspian's wounds began to heal. The one caused by the bolt healed quickly. The knife wound, however would not seem to want to close all the way. It wasn't working. Why?


	5. Chapter 5

Peter PoV

Seeing everyone's dumbstruck faces i looked down. The knife wound wasn't closing up. I looked about, searching for the knife its self. It lay on the Stone Table, covered in blood. With a flash of recognition i realised where Lucy had seen it. It was the knife, embedded with magical properties; none of them good, the white witch had used to kill Aslan all those years ago. I picked it up and held it up for everyone to see. "Su, Lucy, it's the same knife the witch used to kill Aslan on this very Table". They looked at me their faces filled with horror. We could do little but clean the blade and bandage the gaping wound in Caspian's chest. They moved the prince to his chamber just off the main entrance of the How. We placed narnians on guard 24/7 fearful of another attempt on Caspian's life.

Caspian PoV

I felt the pain in my chest reach a harrowing peak. Someone grasped the hilt of the knife. I stiffened, expecting more pain. I could feel people holding me down. Suddenly i felt someone pull on the knife. The worst pain i had ever felt surged through me, screams were ripped out of me; torn away by the knife. I could feel it slowly coming out, it hurt. So much. After what felt like an eternity it came free. I collapsed back on to whatever they had placed me on. I could feel blood running down my chest and off to one side. My body felt light, almost like i was floating, i was drifting away. I felt dimly someone open my mouth and pour a delicious substance down my throat. The crossbow wound healed quickly. The one over my heart pulsed with an unnatural energy. A face flashed in front of me. Her cold featured glared at me. It was the White Witch. With an ear-splitting shriek her face vanished. It was replaced by the golden face of a Lion. It was Aslan. He regarded me quietly, his eyes staring into my own. I could not move, but i could speak; "great Lion, i am in great need of advice; i don't know how to fight this darkness about me. I am afraid to die", my voice broke at the end. I couldn't imagine dying; leaving everyone behind, at the mercy of my uncle. Leaving Susan, the mere thought hurt me. Aslan continued to look at me, his gaze seeming to see into my soul, His eyes were full of understanding. "Caspian, death is only the beginning. It is your decision as to whether or not you move on." His voice inspired me and filled me with courage, "I don't know how to fight," my voice shook as i all but begged for help. "Caspian if you were any stronger and more protective of those you love, you would be a wolf." His voice calmed me and helped me to think. I was aware of voices in the distance, they were talking about me. Aslan moved closer to me, when He was beside me he touched my forehead with his own. His sweet breath washed over me, it make me feel stronger. "There, i have purged your body of the Dark magic that the knife has contained. Caspian, you must go back to your friends. They need you. Now more than ever." His eyes sparkled with mischief, "And i am sure Queen Susan will miss you." His laugh faded into the distance. I could feel the darkness receding. I struggled to open my eyes. A white light filled my vision, i blinked owlishly, and the light went. I was in my bed and Susan was sat by me. Her hand holding mine.


End file.
